Chapter Fifteen
The next morning, the weight of what Miran had agreed to, to marry Kai, hit her as she walked with him to meet with the elders of Lagrith. Anxiety swirled around her, for she had allowed desire to overrule her mind. And Kai wouldna let her forget. How many times had he growled mine as he caressed and kissed her, reminding her through the afternoon while alone together in the steam hut, that he possessed superior skills as a lover. And all of those skills were now hers, especially after they wed, for then he would take her as a proper wife—in every way. She shivered at the thought.
“You are beautiful,” he whispered.
“Captain,” she said, “someone might hear ye.”
“I do not care. Soon enough, all will know you will be my wife.” He brushed against her to make his point. “I need to taste you again.”
They reached the common building used for meetings and celebrations and were invited to the high table where the elders sat waiting.
“Good morn, Captain Kai, Lady Miran,” Fraser greeted them. “Please, sit with us.”
Two chairs had been saved for them. The other men welcomed them, too.
“After much consideration,” Fraser said, “we have agreed to terms—based on yer guarantees, Captain.”
“And what promises are those?” Kai asked.
“That Laird Jamie seeks an alliance, not the deed to our lands, not complete allegiance to him.”
“On my honor, sir,” Kai said. “An alliance is what you shall have, as long as our conditions are met.”
“We welcome a regiment of MacKay soldiers here. It will serve as deterrent for any future attacks. And as for first trade. Here.” Fraser slid a missive across the table. “I believe ye will find everything has been written down correctly.”
“Thank you.” Kai did a cursory read of the document. “I must send this to Laird Jamie immediately. Once he approves and signs this agreement, I look forward to our future dealings with each other.”
The men gripped arms.
“I am also pleased to announce that three women have expressed interest in joining Lady Helen’s household, Lady Miran. Capable lasses, one my own daughter.”
“I am pleased ye would entrust yer daughter to our care,” Miran said. “May I know her name?”
“Rossa. She is a healer, young and eager to practice her skills in a bigger place. I’m afraid she has grown tired of fishermen’s wounds.”
Miran laughed. “Is she here, I’d like to meet her.”
Fraser stood. “Rossa. Come forward child.”
She had tawny-colored hair and bright, amber eyes, and carried herself with grace, confidence anyone would be drawn to. Miran could appreciate beauty, and Rossa had been blessed. And if she hadna already promised Kai she’d marry him, Miran believed she may have found the woman she would have pushed his way. Though Fraser’s daughter dinna match the kind of woman Kai would usually bed.
“I am here, Father.”
“This is Lady Miran, cousin to Laird and Lady MacKay.”
The lass curtsied and smiled warmly at Miran.
“Are ye sure ye want to leave this beautiful place and live at Sands Airgid?” Miran couldna stomach the idea of any woman being forced to leave home.
Rossa nodded. “Once Da told me why ye were here, I begged him to let me go.”
“Ye will not be disappointed. Laird Jamie is a fair master. And Lady Helen, kind and generous. We need a healer.”
“Then I am happy to go.”
“Doona worry, Lady Miran, my daughter has her own mount and is accustomed to travel. She has earned some coin and possesses a fair share of supplies, including her herbs and medicines. If ye will promise her coin will be protected…”
“Your daughter is now under my care,” Kai said.
“Then let us break bread, for I understand ye have ordered yer men to pack up yer camp so ye may journey to another village,” Fraser said.
“Given our success, I believe we will return to Sands Airgid early,” Kai said.
The news pleased Miran, for she preferred the comfort of her bedchamber to a tent, and the warmth of the manor house over the winter cold. “Has there been news of Cadha?” she asked.
“Nay,” Fraser said. “If yer maid travelled northward, someone would have seen her, for we send riders out every day to patrol our lands. We may be few in number, but we prefer to be well-informed if someone is planning to attack. And as for the sea, tis not the time of year for ships.”
“I appreciate ye making an effort to find her,” Kai said. “The longer she is missing, the more I believe she has met a cruel end.” He gazed at Miran.
“Let us hope the woman dinna suffer,” Fraser said with a grim expression. “The northern region is sparsely populated as ye know, villages few, civilized men even fewer.”
After what Cadha had done to Miran, she deserved to suffer—at least the darker side of her felt so. However, the merciful side, the part of Miran that feared God and felt compassion, hoped for a miracle—that Cadha had found her way back to Sands Airgid.
Several hours after the morning meal, Miran and Kai, her maids, the soldiers, and the new additions to their ranks were on the path to the last village, southeast of Lagrith. Kai rode close to Miran, never letting her out of his sight.
“Ye know we are dangerously close to Sutherland territory,” she teased him.
He shrugged. “Maybe I need a form of entertainment before we return home.”
“Ye would seek out a fight?”
“I welcome battle any time.”
“Ye are no different than any man, then. I am disappointed, Captain, for I thought ye had more sense than the average Highlander.”
“Am I no’ a Highlander?” he said in that brogue.
She eyed him, imagining his golden skin, his chiseled body, those strong arms hidden under his tartan and fur cloak. “Aye, ye’re a Highlander if ever I saw one.”
He chuckled, throwing his head back. “Did I not tell you, Miran. When I gave up my past, I meant it wholeheartedly.”
She dinna doubt him. But why? The life he had, the life he could probably get back if he returned to Constantinople. Surely his father, his beloved mother would welcome him with open arms. It had been years since he’d seen them, years since his sire’s betrayal. Forgiveness would come over time.
“If I were ye, I’d go home.”
Kai reigned his horse in, slowing down, grabbing the lead on her mare. “What did you say?”
His reaction surprised her. “I dinna mean to upset ye.”
Colin rode up to them. “Is everything all right, Captain?”
“Lead the others onward. We will catch up shortly.”
“Sir?” Colin said, obviously concerned.
“I require a moment alone with Lady Miran. If it will make you feel better, Colin, have a couple soldiers stay within shouting distance of us.”
“As ye say.” Colin bowed his head and rode on.
“Why are we stopping?” Miran asked.
“I believe we have unfinished business, lass.”
“I doona like when ye call me lass!”
“Why not?”
Because it had a way of making her feel frantic. He had a command of many languages, often said things in a tongue she couldna understand, or enunciated common words in a way that made her wish she could be somewhere else. “Ye know how to manipulate me so I feel unsure of myself.”
“Climb down, Miran.”
She did, waiting for him to do the same.
Once he stood in front of her, he let the horses roam freely.
“What if they escape?”
“Those beasts know who cares for them.”
“Verra well.”
“Are we?” he asked.
She glanced furtively around her. This part of the Highlands was barren and flat. And with snow on the ground, it looked even more accursed. “Ye are worried I willna honor our agreement.”
“There should be no doubt in my mind about it. You gave yourself to me out of free will. I did not force you, did I, Miran?”
“Nay.”
“Or even seduce you. You did that on your own.”
She fisted her hands at her sides. Why did he always point out her shortcomings? “If ye had paid attention to the board on the door…”
“I did. The painted side was showing. Which means no one was within.”
“Ye are wrong! The painted side meant I was inside.”
“Nay.”
“B-but…”
“Miran. Trust me in this, I feared walking in on a family, so I checked with Fraser before I visited the steam hut.”
“Shite,” she mumbled to herself.
“And why did you curse?”
“Because I know ye are right, as always.”
He lifted her chin so she had to look at him. “Tis not a battle of wits between us. I am older than you, Miran, by ten seasons. In time, you will learn more, gain experience, as I have.”
“I couldna help myself,” she cried. “Ye intruded on the most private of moments…when my mind was saturated with thoughts of…”
“Me?”
She slapped his arm and frowned. “Ye are infuriatingly arrogant.”
“Confident.”
“Arrogant!” she argued.
“All right, arrogant.”
“Ye accept that character flaw too easily.”
“I am a man.”
“Oh, no one could mistake ye for anything else.”
“What does this mean?”
“Men are pigheaded.”
“I assure you, nothing about me resembles a pig.”
“Captain,” she said firmly. “Once again ye mistake what I mean. I wouldna compare ye to a pig, I know that is the most grievous of offenses to ye. Tis another way to say ye are stubborn.”
He thought about it, then said, “Tha thu breagha.”
“Calling me beautiful willna help us now.”
“I speak truthfully. When you are angry, your eyes burn with passion, and your skin glows.” He reached for her face, but she batted his hand away.
“Make peace with me, Miran. Accept our fate, a wedding is in our future.”
She felt cornered, but knew he was right—she loved him, damn her for being so weak—weak in the flesh to be exact. And was sure it was a sin. “If ye were a woman…”
“I am not.”
“Please stop interrupting me, Kai.”
He crossed his arms over his chest.
“If ye were me, would ye celebrate knowing yer life was going to change forever?”
“Are you afraid of how I am going to treat you?”
All the arguing made her head hurt—but, aye, he seemed to understand. “Aye! Ye may be a Highlander now, but I have heard stories, disturbing ones, about how little women are regarded in yer homeland.”
This time, she let him caress her cheek. “We are here.” He raised his arms, as if offering her the Highlands. “Not there.”
She had always considered him a devil in a tartan. Dark and frightening—exotic and untouchable. But he’d touched her, and she let him, over and over again, until she screamed his name. If that dinna give him a right to her…
“Is it true?”
“What?”
“That ye clothe yer women in drab colors, masking their faces so no one can see them?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Veils are used to cover their faces.”
“So, it is true!”
He nodded. “In traditional households.”
“What do ye mean?”
“Constantinople is a crossroad to many cultures and civilizations. Not everyone lives the same.”
“Did ye come from a traditional household?”
“Aye.”
Silence fell between them.
“I couldna, wouldna ever agree to hide myself, to cover my face and hair.”
“Nay.” His hand slipped from her face to the length of her hair. “If ever I try and make you cover this crown of golden glory, strike me dead with your dirk.”
“My dirk?”
He glanced down at her feet. “The one strapped around your leg.”
“You know?”
“Aye.”
She let out a little sigh. “Nothing escapes ye.”
“Especially not you.” He tugged her into his arms and slanted his mouth across hers, kissing her hungrily. “Have we achieved peace yet?”
She rolled her eyes. “Ye think a few words and a kiss will chase my fears away?”
“I think it will help.” And he kissed her again.